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Here are answers to frequently asked questions we receive on the engineering exams and other areas of concern. Contact us directly for questions not answered below.
LICENSING AND EXAM QUESTIONS
What is licensure? What are the benefits of licensure? Why should I become licensed?
Licensure is the process you go through to become licensed as a professional engineer (P.E.) A license is a standard of accountability, a differentiator that gives you a competitive edge over other job candidates. A license gives you more credibility, respect and authority as a professional.
- You can start your own company or work as a consultant.
- You gain increased job mobility and opportunities.
- You will have a license recognized in every state giving you the opportunity to work on projects anywhere your career takes you.
- You will have the potential to earn a higher income. P.E.s average $20,000 a year* more in salary compared to unlicensed engineers in comparable positions.
**75,000 students graduate each year with an engineering degree
5 out of 9 students take the FE
4 out of 5 pass it
only 1 out of 9 becomes a PE
* According to the National Society of Professional Engineers Salary Survey
**According to the National Council on Examiners of Engineering and Surveying (NCEES)
How do I get licensed?
Exact qualifications vary by state but the basic requirements are the same. Licensure requires obtaining a college degree in engineering from an approved, accredited university or college as well as passing two nationally standardized exams; the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam (usually taken as a senior in college) and the Principles and Practice of Engineering (PE) exam (usually taken after four or more years of professional experience.)
When can I take the exams?
The FE and PE exams are offered twice a year in April and October. The dates are set by the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES), the entity that writes and scores the exams. Upcoming exam dates are:
|
FE |
PE |
| April 16, 2005 |
April 15,2005 |
| October 29, 2005 |
October 28, 2005 |
| April 22, 2006 |
April 21, 2006 |
| October 28, 2006 |
October 27, 2006 |
| April 21, 2007 |
April 20, 2007 |
| October 27, 2007 |
October 26, 2007 |
How do I register for an exam?
Both the FE and PE exams are administered locally through your state board of registration. The registration periods vary significantly by state, anywhere from 45-180 days before the exam. Contact your state board directly for particulars.
What is the format of the FE Exam?
The FE exam tests basic knowledge of engineering principles. Much of the information on the exam is covered in the first two years and a half years of an undergraduate engineering education. That is why you should ideally take the exam while you are in college when the information is fresh and you have good study habits.
The exam consists of two four-hour sessions, one administered in the morning and one administered in the afternoon. The questions on the FE exam are grouped by subject and are multiple choice. The exam is in both conventional English and SI units. The morning session consists of 120 general knowledge questions and everyone takes the same exam.
The breakdown of the subject matter for the morning exam is:
15% - Mathematics
10% - Engineering Mechanics (Statics & Dynamics)
9% - Electricity & Magnetism
9% - Chemistry
8% - Engineering Economics
7% - Thermodynamics
7% - Engineering & Probability
7% - Material Properties
7% - Strength of Materials
7% - Computers
7% - Ethics and Business Practices
There are 60 questions on the afternoon exam. You choose from one of seven options for the afternoon exam, either a general exam or one of the following specific engineering disciplines:
Chemical
Civil
Electrical
Environmental
Mechanical
Industrial
See the NCEES for more on the FE exam.
What do I need to fully prepare for the FE Exam?
To completely prepare for the exam, we suggest the following:
See our FE review materials
What is the format of the PE Exam?
The PE exam is six to eight hours in length and also consists of a morning and afternoon session. The exam is open book but some states place restrictions on the material allowed into the exam. Units used for several of the exams are as follows.
| SI and Conventional English |
Conventional English |
| Chemical |
Mechanical |
| Civil |
Structural I |
| Electrical and Computer |
Structural II |
Civil, electrical, and mechanical engineers have a breadth exam in the morning and the option of several different depth exams in the afternoon. Some states have additional requirements or offer a different version of the exam. For example, to earn licensure as a civil engineer in California, you must also pass the state-administered exams on engineering surveying and seismic principles.
See the NCEES for more on the PE exam.
Visit your state board for PE regulations for your state.
What do I need to fully prepare for the PE Exam?
To completely prepare for the PE Exam, we suggest the following:
- A license review book specific to your discipline.
- A problems and solutions book specific to your discipline.
- Any number of supplemental review resources, including sample exams and additional problems and solutions.
- A cross-code reference book if applicable.
See our PE review materials.
How are the exams graded? I’ve heard they are graded on a scaled score. What does that mean?
Both the FE and PE exams are graded on a scaled score. Your raw score is based on points awarded for correct answers. This score is transformed to a value on a 100-point scale, to give your scaled score. To pass each exam you must receive a scaled score of 70 out of a possible 100 points.
The exams evolve over time, with specific questions added and deleted. As a result, difficulty levels can shift slightly with each administration of the exam. Scaling raw scores and consistently using a pass rate of 70 are ways of ensuring that different exams provide a common frame of reference for evaluating examinees.
Scaling is a very common method of grading used across many types of occupational certification exams when exam questions frequently change. The benefit of scaling is that pass rates are more consistent across the different administrations of the exam so examinees are not penalized if their exam is more difficult than a previous one.
Visit the NCEES for more information on exam grading.
OTHER QUESTIONS
What if I have a technical question about information in one of your books?
Questions concerning content in any of our products should be addressed to our customer service department at engineeringpress@kaplan.com or (800) 420-1432. Customer service will determine the appropriate contact according to the nature of your question.
Are there discounts for bulk purchases?
Professional organizations qualify for bulk discounts and should contact Lauren Comstock at lcomstock@kaplan.com
How can my school or organization set up a review session on campus?
Kaplan AEC Education may provide materials to help you host an FE Review session on campus. Contact Lauren Comstock at lcomstock@kaplan.com
What are the benefits of joining the collegiate partnership program? How can Kaplan help my organization raise funds?
Kaplan AEC Education offers discounts for students on FE review materials and cash rebates to schools, engineering departments, or student organizations that want to help promote our products on campus. We will custom design a partnership that best suits your fundraising needs. We will assign a special promotion code and catalog of items just for you. You will have your own representative to answer all your questions and offer support to all your on-campus effort.
How can I sign up to become a collegiate partner?
Contact Lauren Comstock at lcomstock@kaplan.com
My organization is tax exempt. What do I need to do to order products online?
Sales tax is only applied to online purchases in the following states: CA, FL, IL and NY. To make a tax exempt purchase from one of these states, please call customer service directly to place your order at 800-420 -1432. A copy of your tax exempt certificate is needed and can be faxed in advance of your order to 312-455-6916. |
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